The time has come for all politicians to be honest with voters: building an electricity system reliant primarily on wind and solar energy is neither feasible nor affordable.
Last week was a critical turning point in the debate on Net Zero. Both the main political parties now need to be honest with voters and declare that the entire project and in particular electricity decarbonisation need an urgent re-think.
You can not control retail prices if you have no influence on the wholesale market. If the cap were removed now, it would give suppliers the freedom to compete more aggressively on price and service.
It is absurd to set a strictly political timetable for the wholesale transfer of an industrial economy to unproven technologies.
We must do away with Ofgem and the National Grid’s role as electricity system operator and create a single, independent Strategic Energy Authority
The UK is not immune from the risks of energy rationing. An Energy Security Contingency Plan that deals with the threat of shortages and rising costs has to be a number one priority.
The Prime Minister asked for a “grown-up” approach to energy. Here are the policies required to deliver it.
Consumers, industry and infrastructure investors need assurances that energy security and affordability will not be ignored.
It is about to embark on an ambitious plan for net zero carbon emissions when we can least afford it. There may be a more affordable option.
The second piece in a mini-series on climate change, COP26 and the environment on ConservativeHome this week.
Imposing an obligation on suppliers and shippers to hold a certain proportion of their gas in store ahead of every winter would be the most cost-effective solution.
The Government should recognise the critical role of natural gas in the drive to deliver both lower carbon emissions and lower energy bills.
As a consultant who was heavily involved in the original Electricity Pool after the industry was rightly privatised, here is my advice.
Given that the Tories sanctioned the pursuit of net zero for the last 14 years the key question is do they possess the political will to challenge the fundamental assumptions behind the 2030 decarbonisation target?